Tricks and Treats
by Marian the Librarian
Summary: FiNaL ChApTeR: There's a Halloween dance at Hogwarts and Harry and Hermione find something missing. Together, they might just discover what it might be. Total HHr this Chapter. I promise! Plz, RR!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. But you should already know that.  
  
Summary: To lighten the moods of the Hogwarts students, Dumbledore decides to throw a Halloween Ball. Hermione has everything ready, except for one minor detail. Harry's got everything ready too, except one small thing is in his way. On the night of tricks and treats, will the two friends find what they're missing?  
  
A/N: I'm busy writing another story but I felt an urge to write a short one. Thanks to Dani and Meghan for the inspiration. Oh, and Shits and Giggles for giving me a Halloween theme base. N E wayz. here it goes.  
  
Tricks and Treats  
  
Hermione walked onto the quidditch field with a certain confidence she didn't know she had until weeks earlier. It was a chilly October morning. The sun was barely visible of the horizon to the east. Gryffindor was to have their first quidditch match against Ravenclaw in a few hours. Hermione had tried out for the team because she had nothing better to do on a Saturday morning in mid September. To her surprise, her best friend Harry Potter, star Seeker and newly elected quidditch captain, had chosen her as the new Keeper.  
  
"Why?" Hermione asked herself as she stood out in the middle of the field.  
  
"Because you were the best," a voice answered from behind.  
  
Hermione turned around to see her best friend standing a few yards away. She smiled and he grinned in return.  
  
"I swear Harry," Hermione said as he slowly walked towards her, "sometimes it seems as though you can read my mind."  
  
"And what if I can?" he teased.  
  
"Just don't. The mind of a fifteen year old girl is bound to frighten you at some time or another."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"Good," Hermione stated, feeling as though she won that tiny battle. "Anyway, the real problem is how badly we'll lose to Ravenclaw today."  
  
"And who says we'll lose?" Harry asked, heading towards the locker room, Hermione at his side.  
  
"Harry, I'm the Keeper!" Hermione practically shouted at him.  
  
"What's your point?"  
  
"I'm not that good, honest," Hermione muttered, staring at her feet.  
  
"Look Herm," Harry stopped and turned to face his friend, "when I saw you fly at those try outs, I saw something I had never seen before. You might have been nervous at first but I watched your face. You loved being in the air, soaring above the world. And not only that, you were actually good at those goal posts. Better than Ron or Seamus or all the other people that thought they could easily beat the little bookworm. I have faith in you. I know you can prove them wrong and the rest of the world. I know you can."  
  
"You think so?" Hermione asked shakily.  
  
"No," Harry whispered, standing so close to Hermione that she could feel his breath upon her face, "I know so."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
"To the team!"  
  
"The team!"  
  
Gryffindor had slaughtered Ravenclaw that morning, 200-0. The team and a group of other Gryffindors were huddled around a table at the Three Broomsticks, toasting with butterbeer.  
  
"No, no, no," Harry said, interrupting the chatter, "to Hermione, the quickest, bravest, and cleverest Keeper Gryffindor has seen in a long time."  
  
"To Hermione!"  
  
Hermione blushed as her friends and teammates toasted to her well played game. She came out of it with a few bruises but they were worth it. Hermione caught Harry's eye and mouthed "thank you" to him. In return he smiled and winked. Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. She had never felt that way before and knew something was wrong. After all, it was just Harry. Just Harry. Absent-mindedly she let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"What's wrong Herm?" Harry asked, a look of concern taking over his merry face.  
  
"What?" Hermione said immediately, realizing that the sigh was heavier than it should have been. "Oh, umm, nothing. Just a tad bit tired. It was a long game. I think I'll go back to the dormitories."  
  
"I'll go with you," Harry said, standing up as Hermione did.  
  
"No! I mean um, you don't have to. I can, uh, find it on my own. Yea, I'm fine."  
  
"Okay," Harry replied, "see ya later then."  
  
"Yea, later," Hermione said quickly, turning around to leave.  
  
"Great game Herm!"  
  
"Good job Herm!"  
  
"Thanks," she said over her shoulder. Once she stepped outside she bolted for the closest carriage out of Hogsmede, mentally cursing herself along the way. 


	2. Something Good

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters yada yada yada.  
  
Summary: Halloween dance coming up. Read the first boring chapter to get a better idea of it.  
  
A/N: Okay. I know the first chapter wasn't really going anywhere but I promise this chapter will be. Thanks Bethany for reviewing. Hope whoever reads this enjoys the rest.  
  
Tricks and Treats ~ Chapter Two  
  
"Can I ever be more of an idiot?" Hermione asked herself, looking at her image in the mirror. "I mean I totally overreacted at The Three Broomsticks. What was that anyway? Oh gosh, now I'm even talking to myself."  
  
The brunette plopped down onto her bed, soaking in the silence of being alone. She picked up a book and quill from her side table and muttered an incantation.  
  
"Anyway," she went on, the quill writing down what she was saying, "we won the game. I have a rather large bruise on my stomach from being hit by a bludger. My friends told be that I was hit so hard that I passed out and fell off my broomstick. Luckily Harry came to my rescue and caught me just before I hit the ground." Hermione sighed, gazing at a picture frame across the room. It was from her third year at Hogwarts. She, Ron, and Harry stood together smiling happily. Harry's arm was around Hermione's shoulder. She didn't seem to notice that, until now at least.  
  
"Why are boys so complicated?" she asked the calm silence, lying back on her bed.  
  
"Because we like a challenge."  
  
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, sitting upright. "You scared me half to death."  
  
"Do you think that if I scared you half to death twice, then you would be scared fully to death so that you could die?" he asked, sauntering over to Hermione's bedside.  
  
"You never asked to come in," she said shortly, trying to act cross, but with Harry that hardly happened.  
  
"I didn't know I needed permission," he replied, a grin spreading across his lips. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the quill that was scribbling away by itself.  
  
"Oh," Hermione said, having forgotten all about it, "it's just a journal. I bewitched the quill so it will write down what I'm saying or thinking."  
  
"What are you thinking?"  
  
"That's for me to know," Hermione said, shutting the book and slipping it into her nightstand drawer, "and for you not to find out."  
  
"I guess you can win this time," Harry sighed, lying back on the bed opposite of Hermione.  
  
"Harry, I always win."  
  
"Since when?" he teased, sitting up and staring at her.  
  
"Since always," she replied, trying to hide the smile that was coming across her lips.  
  
They sat for a few moments, just watching each other's movements, until Hermione's curiosity got the better of her.  
  
"What are you doing here anyway?"  
  
"Oh, no particular reason," he sighed, "I just came to tell you that you missed dinner. And since you missed it, you missed Dumbledore announcing that we will be having a Pumpkin Bash the night of Halloween."  
  
"Are you serious?" Hermione asked excitedly, sitting at the end of the bed.  
  
"No," Harry said simply. Hermione's face fell.  
  
"Oh," she muttered, feeling like a fool.  
  
Harry broke out into a hearty laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"You are," Harry replied. "I can't believe you can be so gullible. Yes Hermione, there is going to be a dance on Halloween. I wouldn't sincerely lie about something like that."  
  
"Sure," Hermione teased, letting his little prank slide.  
  
"Oh come off it now," he said, "I've known you for five years and you've known me for five years. I wouldn't ever intentionally piss you off. I know what you'd do to me."  
  
"If you know me so well," she laughed, "what would I do to you?"  
  
"Well," Harry began, standing up and crossing over to Hermione's bed and sitting beside her, "at first you'd probably give me the death glare, like so." Harry furrowed his brow to try and imitate Hermione's trademark stare. She burst into laughter at the site. Harry smiled and his face went back to normal. "Next," he went on, "you'd ignore me for days." He crossed his arms, turned around, and put his nose in the air, making Hermione laugh again.  
  
"I couldn't ignore you," she cut in, "you'd annoy me too much."  
  
"Anyway," Harry said loudly, pretending he didn't hear her comment, "you'd finally single me out in some sort of public place, at least some place where there would be witnesses. Perhaps quidditch practice, where you could embarrass me in front of my teammates. Or maybe the Great Hall, where you could do something dreadful to me, for the entire school to see."  
  
"Sounds like me," Hermione joked, enjoying the light-headedness and tingling feeling she was feeling with Harry sitting so close to her. What's wrong with me, she asked herself, still paying attention to Harry's little speech.  
  
"And then," he said drastically, "when I'd least expect it, you'd pounce!"  
  
And pounce he did. Harry jumped onto Hermione and began to tickle her terribly. She desperately tried to keep her composure but couldn't stop herself from giggling. She decided that she had to fight back. She turned her body so that she was on top of him. She became the dominant player, getting Harry in certain places that made him squirm uncontrollably. The tickling war went on for a good five minutes, which seemed like hours to them. Finally Hermione rolled off of Harry and lay back, breathing heavily.  
  
"I.win," she muttered, letting out a heavy sigh.  
  
Harry lay back next to her, breathing hard as well.  
  
"We.tied."  
  
"Don't start," she warned, a small smile spreading on her lips. After catching her breath she propped her head on her elbow and watched Harry as he did the same. "Do you think you'll go to the dance?" she asked, trying not to sound so interested.  
  
Harry lifted one shoulder and brought it back down.  
  
"I'm sure Cho would go with you," Hermione went on, knowing about his past crush. "She knows that Cedric's wasn't your fault."  
  
"I know," Harry sighed, "but sometimes, I feel as though it should have been me instead. He was such a good person. He didn't deserve to die so young."  
  
"You don't deserve to die young either," Hermione said softly. "Sometimes, things happen for a reason, no matter how horrible some things seem."  
  
"He shouldn't have gone," Harry muttered, staring off into space, in thought. Hermione watched him as he closed his eyes tightly and saw a drop of water fall from one of them. Harry stayed silent for a while. Hermione then saw another tear fall. She couldn't hold herself back any longer. She reached out and gently wrapped Harry in a tight embrace, trying to be somewhat of a comfort. Harry held onto Hermione tightly and within moments began to shake, letting tears fall freely.  
  
"It's alright Harry, it's alright," Hermione whispered softly into his ear. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't anybody's fault."  
  
Harry slowly stopped shaking and sat up a few minutes later, whipping his now red and watery eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry," he muttered, looking down at the ground, "it's just that I haven't been able to, well I haven't, ever, and I, I'm sorry."  
  
"It's quite alright," Hermione smiled weakly, "I understand."  
  
"I know," Harry muttered, "and that's why I love you so much."  
  
"I beg your pardon," Hermione said, her eyes widening at what Harry had just said.  
  
"I've never had a family, ever," Harry said, trying to explain, "until I came to Hogwarts that is. You mean everything to me Herm. You understand me, and you support me and you're just always here for me. Sometimes Ron isn't that perfect."  
  
"I'm not perfect," Hermione blushed, "I'm just an excellent friend."  
  
Harry gave a small smile.  
  
"Yea, you are."  
  
Hermione looked up into Harry's emerald eyes and suddenly lost herself. They were so deep and thoughtful, captivating and beautiful. She slightly shook her head to get out of this dream world. Harry had said so himself, she was just a friend, a sister even. Never more than just a girl, never a girlfriend, she was just Hermione.  
  
"I think I should go back to my room, it's getting late," Harry whispered, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yea," Hermione agreed, standing up and walking over to the door, Harry at her side.  
  
"You know Hermione," Harry said, turning the doorknob, "you're more than just a friend. You're, something good."  
  
With that, he left, shutting the door in her awestruck face. Hermione shook her head. So many questions were swarming through her mind and not one answer was within them. She walked back to her bed, took out her journal and quill, and set them down in front of her.  
  
"Can my life get anymore confusing?" she asked the book. The quill wrote he statement down but also left the word "Yes" under it. Hermione shrugged. "Fine, it can. I knew that. But honestly, do you think Harry can read my mind? And if he can, can he read everyone's mind, or am I 'something good?' What did he mean by that anyway? Do you think he likes me? No, he can't. I'm just Hermione, nothing more. But am I really that good?"  
  
Hermione sighed and started chatting away, pouring out all of her thoughts and worries to the journal. By the time she fell asleep, the book was almost entirely full.  
  
  
  
*K, that's chapter 2. I hope it was a lot better than chapter one. Plz read and review, I would appreciate it so much. Thanks a ton and I'll try to update soon. ~MtL 


	3. The Date

Disclaimer: I do not own. I do not own. I do not own.  
  
Summary: It's almost time for the Pumpkin Bash, but as Halloween comes closer, are Hermione and Harry having second thoughts?  
  
A/N: Some reviewer brought up a great question. Does England celebrate Halloween? I'm sure they don't celebrate it as I do over here in America but since there was a chapter in the first book titled "Halloween" and in the second book they talked about Halloween, I think it's safe to say that they do. If anybody from Great Britain that would like to inform me, that would be awesome. Anyway, a huge THANKS for the reviews. And I'm gonna try to get this chapter rolling. So, here I go.  
  
Tricks and Treats  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The buzz of the Pumpkin Bash had been going around Hogwarts for weeks. People were already getting dates and buying new outfits. Hermione wanted to join in the fun, but she felt out of place doing so. First she was a bookworm, now she was resident jock, was she suddenly going to turn into a girly-girl? She didn't think so. Harry had been training the Gryffindor quidditch team like crazy, preparing for their match against Slytherin the Saturday following Halloween. Hermione personally had never had so much fun in her life. She still couldn't believe that she was a natural athlete and that she was playing such a popular sport. It was fun to her, and sometimes she begged Harry to practice more with her.  
  
"C'mon Harry," Hermione pleaded on a Thursday night, "just an hour, I swear!"  
  
"Hermione," Harry protested, "what about homework? We can't stay out here every night."  
  
"Please Harry, I think I'm getting better at it."  
  
"You're already great at it. Let's go back."  
  
"I'll stay by myself then," Hermione replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "I mean, I don't mind being by myself, in a light rain, in the dark."  
  
"You're trying to send me on a guilt trip aren't you?" Harry asked, a grin slowly inching on his face.  
  
"Is it working?"  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
The two stayed out in the rain for two hours, racing each other around the field, tossing the quaffle back and forth, and simply just talking. At one point, Harry had noticed that Hermione's grip on the broom was off and he took hold of her hands and fixed it. Even though Hermione knew her grip was fine, she enjoyed the tingling sensation she was feeling as Harry held her hands, and she did not protest.  
  
"You see," Harry said, placing Hermione's fingers in a certain direction, "your index finger has to be in a place where it can keep your broom steady." He moved her hands around again as Hermione waited patiently. He looked up into her deep cinnamon colored eyes and froze. He just stared at her for a few moments, his mouth partly open as if he wanted to speak. Hermione held the gaze, pondering what was going to happen next. She had decided that she had feelings for her friend the night of their tickle fight. From then on, she could hardly stand near Harry without feeling light-headed or dizzy, but good all the same.  
  
Harry blinked and then looked away. Hermione could tell that he seemed nervous too, but she couldn't understand why. He would never like her. He was Harry Potter. A boy with so many responsibilities and pressures on his young shoulders, he would never think of her like she did of him. And lately, Hermione had been thinking of Harry often.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*  
  
"So do you have a date in mind?"  
  
Hermione was walking through Hogsmede with her closest female companion, Ginny Weasley. The two had been shopping for three hours to find the perfect outfits for the dance. Ginny had been successful, but Hermione still had not been.  
  
"I have no clue," Hermione lied as she entered a small store called Build the Castle of Your Dreams.  
  
"Hermione, this isn't a clothing store," Ginny pointed out.  
  
"Listen Gin," Hermione sighed, turning to face her friend, "the sub title of this place says 'We Make Your Dreams Come True.' And right now, my dream is to find the perfect dress. Can't we at least give it a shot?"  
  
"Oh, I suppose," Ginny replied, "but after this, I'm so going to the Three Broomsticks to sit down."  
  
"Okay, okay," Hermione agreed. She began to roam around the store. It was quite peculiar. Everything was so, muggle like. It didn't make since in a shop for wizards. The store was long too. She kept walking past everything, stopping once in a while to examine a book or a cute handbag. As she kept walking, Hermione suddenly felt lost. She turned around but was only surrounded by shelves of different trinkets and such things.  
  
"Hermione!" a voice called.  
  
Hermione sighed, seeing a red head bobbing its way towards her.  
  
"It's been an hour Herm, let's go," Ginny pleaded.  
  
"Yeah, okay," Hermione agreed, turning around one last time.  
  
And then she saw it. The most gorgeous skirt and shirt she ever laid eyes on.  
  
"Gin," Hermione stuttered, "are you seeing what I'm seeing?"  
  
"That's the one Herm."  
  
And yet it was. The shirt was white and long sleeved. The sleeves were supposed to hang off of her shoulders, showing a little skin. The end of the skirt slanted down her legs, the top right below her knee and the bottom two inches above her ankle. It was a white skirt with pink roses all over it and the end a bit ruffled. And to top that off, on the shelf next to the perfect outfit was a pair of slinky pink heels.  
  
Hermione entered The Three Broomsticks with a grin plastered on her face. She was going to look stunning at the dance. Ginny was chatting away about Halloween night as Hermione took ordered their butterbeers. She turned to find a seat but bumped into someone instead.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Hermione exclaimed, bending down to pick up the strangers dropped items. Instead, she knocked heads with the person. "I'm usually not such a klutz," she muttered, looking into the person's eyes. She stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"It's alright Hermione," Harry smiled, standing up, "it's just some Honneydukes candy, no need to make excuses."  
  
"Right," Hermione breathed, standing up as well. "I think Ginny and I are going to find some seats. Would you like to join us?"  
  
"Sure," Harry answered, "I'll be over in a minute."  
  
"Okay," Hermione smiled, reluctantly breaking eye contact to find herself a seat. She began to gulp down her butterbear the moment she sat down, not noticing that Ginny was staring at her with her eyebrows raised. Finally Hermione looked up and shrugged. "What?"  
  
"No clue who you want to take to the dance, huh?" Ginny stated.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, knowing exactly what she was talking about.  
  
"What's the deal with you and Harry?" Ginny squealed, a little over excited about the matter.  
  
"Nothing's the deal," Hermione replied, taking another nervous sip of her drink.  
  
"Oh please Herm," Ginny sighed, "did you listen to yourself over there. You were stuttering every other word and you couldn't bare to break eye contact with Harry."  
  
"Well I was stuttering because I made a fool of myself," Hermione lied, "and I actually don't have Harry in mind for a date, thank you very much."  
  
"Prove it," Ginny demanded.  
  
"Prove what?" Harry had come to sit down.  
  
"Oh, umm, prove that, that," Hermione stuttered, not sure how to lie to Harry.  
  
"Nothing for your ears to hear Harry," Ginny said calmly, "it's just a bunch of chit chat, girl talk, that kind of stuff."  
  
"Oh," Harry muttered, taking a swig of his butterbeer. "So um, ladies, got any plans for the Pumpkin Bash?"  
  
"Oh, um," Hermione answered, "we just bought our outfits."  
  
"And I'm going with Seamus," Ginny added.  
  
"Who you going with Herm?" Harry asked.  
  
"She's going with me," a voice said from behind.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, turning around. There standing in front of her was Draco Malfoy. "I beg your pardon Draco."  
  
"You're going to the dance with me," he said plainly.  
  
"Why?" Hermione asked, a look of total confusion on her face. (A/N: Think of the scene in "Legally Blonde" where elle tells her friends that she's going to Harvard as a law student and the blonde one asks why. It's that kind of attitude that Hermione used. Sorry, that's like one of my favorite parts of that movie and I had to use it. Okay, moving on.)  
  
"Because I would like you to accompany me," Draco answered.  
  
"But why?" Hermione asked again.  
  
"Because I feel bad for the way I've treated you all these years. You deserve better. So I would like to start apologizing by asking you to the Pumpkin Bash."  
  
"Oh," Hermione muttered, turning to face her friends. Harry stared at her, his jaw open and eyebrows raised. Ginny moved her mouth to say something but no words came out. She looked like a fish without water.  
  
"So what do you say?" Draco asked her. "Will you go to the dance with me Hermione?"  
  
"You said my name," Hermione whispered, suddenly taken aback.  
  
"So, Hermione is your name, isn't it?"  
  
"You always called me Granger or Mudblood," Hermione replied.  
  
"Well now I'm paying you back," Draco answered her.  
  
"Alright then," Hermione said, "it's a date."  
  
"Good," Draco grinned, turning away to sit with his friends.  
  
"Umm," Harry said suddenly, looking as though he was sick, "I got some other place to be. See you two at dinner."  
  
"What was that?" Ginny finally spoke up when Harry was out of earshot.  
  
"What was what?"  
  
"You're going to the dance with Draco Malfoy! Do you have any idea who he is?"  
  
"Yes Gin, I do."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"I said I would prove that I didn't want to go to the Pumpkin Bash with Harry," Hermione replied, "and I just did."  
  
  
  
*Ok, end of chapter 3. Hermione's going to the dance with Draco. You know trouble is brewing. Hope you liked this one. Please Read and Review! ~MtL 


	4. Being Independent

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.  
  
Summary: A Halloween dance is approaching and Harry and Herm are missing one thing.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. If any of u read my other h/hr fic (I Luv U Came Too Late . . . . read it!) then u know that I like to twist things up. I only ask that u keep faith in me. One reviewer said that this is the best h/hr fic ever or something like that. Y thank u SOOOOO much! I truly appreciate that. I didn't think this was a super great story. The idea sortta popped in my head and I went with it. On another note, another reviewer mentioned that Ron really hasn't made an appearance. That is true. Why? I guess all I can say is that I never wrote him in. He's not in my other h/hr story but it's kindda good that he's not in that one but yea, I apologize and putting Ron in this chapter is one of my priorities. So, since Halloween is coming up I better get on with this. So here's chapter 4.  
  
Tricks and Treats  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Hermione, have you gone out of your mind?!"  
  
Hermione's head shot up right away and looked straight into the eyes of her other red haired friend, Ron.  
  
"Ron," she whispered, "this is a library."  
  
"Hermione," Ron started again, sitting down across from his friend, "have you gone mad?"  
  
"Quieter Ron," she whispered, not lifting her head from her book.  
  
"Have you gone ballistic?" Ron finally whispered, so quietly that Hermione could hardly hear him.  
  
"What have I done now Ron?"  
  
"You know what you've done," he muttered harshly.  
  
"No," she said blankly, "I don't."  
  
"Well, if you don't know, I'm not going to tell you," Ron answered, sitting back and crossing his arms with a satisfied grin.  
  
"Ron," Hermione replied, slamming her book down, "after you go and grow up, why don't you fill me in on what's wrong."  
  
"Please tell me that you are not going to the Pumpkin Bash with Malfoy."  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's Malfoy, that's what's wrong!" Ron replied, raising his voice and making other students turn to stare at him. "Oh, stop eavesdropping! People these days," he muttered, not realizing the dirty looks he was given.  
  
"For your information, Ron," Hermione said in a controlive manner, "he apologized quite kindly for all the crap he's done in the past. He asked me quite nicely to go to the dance with him. And, he even called me Hermione. Not Mudblood, not Granger, but Hermione, my name. I took that as a sign of definite change in the guy."  
  
"Hermione," Ron said, controlling his tone, "listen to me. Malfoy has been bad news from the start. He's one hell of a bastard and I heard those guys can be great actors too. I don't want to see you get hurt."  
  
"I won't get hurt, Ron!" Hermione protested, standing up.  
  
"You don't take Divination anymore, how would you know?"  
  
"If you're the friend you think you are," she warned, "you'll let me take care of my own problems. And right now, I don't have any problems so please just mind your own business if you know what's good for you!"  
  
With that, Hermione stormed out of the library, Ron glaring at her backside. Within moments she was out of sight and Ron sat back, dreading what was to come on Saturday night.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Should I put my hair up," Hermione said to her mirror image, holding her wavy hair on her head, "or down?" she asked, dropping her soft, chocolate locks.  
  
"Up," Ginny's voice said from the door.  
  
"You made it," Hermione sighed, turning to face her friend. "I was getting lost in a world of hair care, make up, and pedicures."  
  
"You are the muggle you know," Ginny pointed out, "shouldn't you know more about that stuff than me?"  
  
"You're talking to me about this Gin," Hermione answered, plopping down on her bed, "what do you think?"  
  
"That's what I thought," Ginny replied, "so I brought these." She held up a large bag she was carrying and turned it over on top of the bed. Out fell more make up and hair care products Hermione had seen in any muggle mall in her life.  
  
"Wow," Hermione muttered, her jaw dropping a bit, "what do we do with it?"  
  
Ginny giggled.  
  
"This is going to take a lot of work."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Do you see her yet?"  
  
"Harry," Ron sighed, sitting in a large red armchair in front of the blazing fire, "you asked me that five minutes ago. For the hundredth time, no, I do not see Hermione coming down that stairs yet."  
  
"Oh," Harry muttered, taking a seat in the chair across from his friend. Surprisingly Harry couldn't find a date and he had decided to play some quidditch instead of go to the Pumpkin Bash. "Do you think she likes him?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Malfoy?" Ron asked, turning to face his best friend. "No way Harry. Hermione is too good for him. She knows that, whether she'll admit it or not."  
  
"If anything happens tonight I swear I'll.." and then Harry trailed off, staring deeply into the bright orange flames.  
  
"You swear you'll do what?" Ron asked. Suddenly his face lit up and his jaw dropped. "Harry, you don't fancy Herm do you?"  
  
"What?" Harry asked, taken aback. "Of course not you git. Herm is my friend. I don't want to see her get hurt that's all."  
  
"The only way I'll get hurt this evening is if I break one of these heels," Hermione's voice said from the staircase.  
  
Harry and Ron turned and both of their jaws dropped. Hermione looked absolutely stunning. She was wearing the skirt and shirt she had bought at Build the Castles of Your Dreams and Ginny had done a fantastic job on her hair and make up.  
  
In fact, it didn't look like Hermione was wearing make up at all. Her face was light and creamy and her cheeks were the shade of a delicate pink. Her brown eyes were enhanced with a little mascara and a light pink shadow over her lids. Her lips had a light gloss over them that made them shine in the firelight. But her hair had to be the most stunning feature of all. Ginny had helped Hermione curl her hair and pinned it all up on her head, leaving a few strands curled in the front to frame her face. And to literally top that off, tiny pink roses had been placed about her head, making her look like a sweet, innocent rose.  
  
"Fortunately," Hermione continued, walking towards her friends, "I was sure to cast a spell so that my heels won't break at all." A grin had come across her face and after a few moments of silence she began to blush. "I don't look that terrible do I?"  
  
"No," Harry muttered, "you look, astonishing."  
  
"Why thank you Harry," Hermione giggled, "Ginny is an artist."  
  
"That is true," Ginny joked.  
  
"Well Ron," Hermione said after a few more moments of awkward silence from the boys, "won't you accompany your sister and I down to the Entrance Hall. Parvati told me that Padma would be waiting for you there."  
  
"Right," Ron answered, standing up and dusting himself off, "let's go ladies. He held out his arms and Ginny and Hermione both took one, the two trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"Oh Harry," Hermione said, turning around one last time, "are you sure you don't want to go to the dance anyway? You can't celebrate Halloween alone, you know?"  
  
"I'm sure I can manage," Harry replied, offering a small grin. Hermione returned it.  
  
"Alright then, let's go."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The Entrance Hall was full of anxious students, dressed to impress. But Hermione by far was the most impressive looking of all. Many people who hardly uttered a word to her before had complimented her outfit and even Pansy Parkinson had nothing harsh to say.  
  
"I wonder where Draco is," Hermione muttered to Ginny as she stood in the center of the crowd.  
  
"He'll be here shortly, don't worry," Ginny replied. "Oh, there's Seamus, gotta run. Have fun!" With that she left Hermione standing to fend for herself  
  
"Were you talking about my Draco?" Pansy suddenly snarled at the two girls.  
  
"I didn't know he was your property," Hermione answered sarcastically.  
  
"Thank you for making me the center of your world ladies," a voice from behind drawled.  
  
"Hello Draco," Hermione smiled brightly, turning to face her escort.  
  
"Granger," Draco nodded to her presence and then turned to talk with some other Slytherin friends of his.  
  
"Excuse me Draco," Hermione said, a little irritated this time.  
  
"What do you want Granger?" Draco exclaimed, turning around with a scowl on his face.  
  
"Well, nothing, I guess," Hermione stuttered, "it's just, they're beginning to let people into the Great Hall and I thought."  
  
"Thought what?" Draco asked, getting up into her face. "That I would take you to this so-called dance? Don't you know who I am? I would never take a filthy, ugly, good for nothing, Mudblood to a dance."  
  
Hermione stared at Draco, a look of total shock in her eyes.  
  
"What's the matter Granger?" Pansy spoke up. "Draco is my property. He doesn't belong to a disgrace like you." Pansy then began to play with Hermione's sleeve. "I mean honestly," the witch ((not magic witch, other kind)) continued as she began to circle Hermione, "you are nothing but a piece of whiney, goody goody, smartass muggle trash!"  
  
Before Hermione could get a word in, Pansy pulled on the sleeves of Hermione's beautiful shirt and tore them off so that shreads hung from the shoulder. Hermione closed her eyes tightly, hoping that no one would notice the tears that were begging to flow.  
  
"Don't cry Granger," Draco added, stepping close to her, "at least your hair looks gorgeous." He pulled on it and more strands fell out, the once beautiful hair now looking thrashed. "Opps," Draco sniggered, "guess I was wrong. I'm rather surprised Granger. See, I thought you were smart enough to know that I wasn't serious. It was just a joke, a trick, a load of rubbish. You know, that kind of stuff. I guess hanging around with that thick headed Potter has rubbed off on you."  
  
"Don't you dare talk about Harry that way," Hermione spoke up for the first time.  
  
"And what are you going to do about it?" Draco asked, stepping so close to Hermione that their noses touched. "Tattle? Oh wait, you have a reputation to uphold. Well," he huffed, "not anymore." He picked at her hair once more until almost all of it had fallen down completely.  
  
Hermione was crying silent tears but she held her head high and did the only thing she could think of at the moment. She slapped him. After that, she ran as fast as she could in her heels. She knew he would have been surprised at her action and that it had to have hurt him badly. She didn't bother to look. She ran outside the castle and all the way down to the lake. Finally, stopping to take a breath, she sat at the waters edge and began to cry, hoping that someone was there to comfort her.  
  
*Yes, Yes. That's the end of the chapter. I don't like Draco much, couldn't you tell? Hermione actually did hit him hard so he'll end up with a swollen face soon. Anyway, I must go to bed, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. It's only getting better. Remember, plz be kind and R/R! Thanx! ~MtL 


	5. Her Comfort Zone

Disclaimer: I do not own, I do not own.  
  
Summary: Draco's just been an absolute ass. Wut's Hermione gonna do?  
  
A/N: Okay, okay, I'm updating! Everybody clap! LoL! That's what I thought. N E wayz. . . a little background info on the last chapter. Hermione's hair and make up basically looked like my hair and make up for my high school's Father/Daughter Dance a couple weeks ago. Once I get my pics back I would love to scan them and share em with you all, except I don't have a scanner. But anyway, her outfit was basically my vision of Emma Watson's outfit to the London Scooby Doo premiere, except the skirt had red flowers instead of black. So basically, Hermione looked gorgeous until Draco messed everything up. Also, there was something else. Hmm. I do not remember. LoL! Wait for it, wait for it. it's not coming. If it comes in the middle of writing this then I'll do a lil A/N sign thing. Until then, I might as well finish this up. Hope you enjoy and thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOO much for the great and totally awesome reviews! It means so much!  
  
Tricks and Treats  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Hermione?" a tiny voice whispered in the back of the sobbing girl's head.  
  
"What?!" Hermione shouted at it, tears streaming down her burning cheeks. She was sitting at the edge of the lake, her heels off and her feet soaking in the cool water. Her shirt was torn and her hair was ruined. "How could I have been so stupid?" she asked aloud. The voice she had heard was probably just the buzzing in her head. "Building the Castle of my Dreams? How pathetic is that? I should have known the clothes would be cheap. And this hair, why did I bother to put it up, it just came back down. And," Hermione sighed, staring off into the deep ends of the large lake, "I left Harry all alone."  
  
"You didn't leave me alone," a small voice replied.  
  
Hermione turned and she suddenly felt very cold. Harry offered her a small smile in return. He gestured to the patch of earth next to her and soon he was sitting with his toes in the water alongside her.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered after a few minutes of silence. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her slim arms around them, trying to bring some warmth back into them.  
  
"Take this," Harry answered, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around Hermione's bare shoulders. Heat suddenly took over her and she sighed.  
  
"Why are you so good to me?" Hermione thought, not realizing she thought out loud.  
  
"Because," Harry retorted with a shrug.  
  
"Because?" Hermione asked, trying to get an answer out of him.  
  
"What happened in there Hermione?" Harry asked, ignoring her question.  
  
"Nothing," she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly. Since Harry had arrived at her side she hadn't thought twice about the incident, and she did not want to cry in front of him.  
  
"Hermione," Harry protested, "How well do you think I know you. Enough to know when you're lying to me. Just tell me. Because I'll find out anyway, you know I will. Plus, I know your shirt had long sleeves when you left tonight."  
  
"Oh, Harry," Hermione sniffed. Every moment of the previous hour flooded back into her mind, but before she could get a word out Harry nodded solemnly.  
  
"I know, I know," he whispered, wrapping his strong, muscular arms around Hermione's shoulders. She leaned against him and sighed, feeling content in his arms. "He can be an ass I'll tell ya," Harry went on, "you want me to go in there and teach him a lesson?"  
  
"No," Hermione laughed lightly, "he'll get it in due time. I've got plans circulating already. But, of course, you should already know them."  
  
"And how so?" Harry asked, a look of amusement on his lips.  
  
"You keep," Hermione sighed, taking a pause, "reading my mind. What's up with you?"  
  
"Well I guess my secret's out then," Harry said, a sly grin coming across his handsome face.  
  
"I'm a little disappointed though," Hermione added, sitting up straight and turning to look into Harry's bright green eyes. Even in the moonlight they still sparkled. Her heart suddenly jumped, making what she was planning to do even harder.  
  
"And why is that?" Harry smiled.  
  
"Because then you'd know I wanted to do this."  
  
And before Harry could question the girl, she slowly leaned in towards him and their lips met. After a mere moment, Hermione broke apart, staring widely into Harry's eyes, unsure what to expect. He gently took hold of her face and smiled. Their lips met once more but it seemed as though time had slowed for them. The kiss lasted much longer than the first, with more affection and passion than they ever had imagined. Hermione absentmindedly lifted her hands and tangled them into Harry's dark mess of hair. She felt Harry's tongue roll across her lips and she invited him in without any protest. They stayed in their moment of bliss for what seemed like hours until reluctantly they broke apart, breathing deeply.  
  
"You have no idea," Harry panted, "how long I've wanted to do that."  
  
"Same here," Hermione smiled, suddenly feeling a mix of emotions inside of her (passion, stupidity, embarrassment, longing, confusion, happiness. . . just to name a few).  
  
"You want to know something?" Harry asked her.  
  
"What?" she asked, nestling her head back on Harry's shoulder. The pain of the night had completely washed away. She felt safe, content, and most of all, she felt like her head belonged on Harry's shoulder, for the rest of their lives.  
  
"You're hair looks better this way. I mean, Draco didn't destroy it. It looks amazing the way it is."  
  
Hermione leaned over and looked into her reflection in the lake. He wasn't just saying that. And her torn sleeves weren't bad either. She was just wearing a sleeveless shirt now. And she could fix the trim with a simple spell. She smiled at her reflection and watched as Harry affectionately kissed her temple.  
  
"Do you still want to go to the dance?" Harry asked her after they were quiet for a moment.  
  
"No," Hermione answered, looking up into his gentle eyes, "we can make our own music out here."  
  
Harry smiled and stood up. He held out his hand and Hermione took it. Within moments, Hermione cast a spell, making music only the two of them could hear. She put her head on his shoulder as the man in the song had sung. (A/N: have you ever heard that oldie song "Put Your Head On My Shoulder?" well, I like that song, and that's what's playing in their heads right now) They slowly began to sway back and forth, letting nothing come between them.  
  
"I wish this moment could last forever," Hermione muttered.  
  
"Spend forever with me Hermi?" Harry asked quietly in her ear.  
  
"I plan to," Hermione answered sweetly, smiling at the thought of them getting married, having children, growing old together, and living happily ever after in each other's arms. Suddenly a thought struck Hermione's thoughts like lightening and she jumped back quickly.  
  
"Herm, what's wrong?" Harry asked cautiously.  
  
"This isn't a trick right?" Hermione asked unsurely. "This is for real right? It's for real?"  
  
"Yea, it's for real," Harry smiled gently.  
  
Hermione sighed and relaxed back in Harry's arms. As another muggle ballad began to play in their ears (Forever by the Beach Boys), Harry began to plant soft kisses down Hermione's neckline, then back up, until finally their lips met again. Before Hermione had enough of him, though, he broke apart and she let out a small groan of displeasure.  
  
"Trick or Treat?" Harry asked, smiling slyly.  
  
"Depends," Hermione answered, beginning to smile as well.  
  
"Well, if you say treat," Harry replied, "I'll give you a kiss."  
  
Hermione smiled at his game.  
  
"Treat then."  
  
Harry took hold of Hermione's hand and placed something in it. She had expected something different but instead got something she would remember forever. As she opened her palm she saw a familiar muggle candy that she had fallen in love with one summer in America. It was a chocolate kiss.  
  
"Aww," she muttered, smiling at the gesture, "I love it, thank you."  
  
With that, she gave Harry a real kiss, which she later admitted in her diary tasted better than chocolate. Harry took it without protest and they stayed together the rest of the night, dancing in the moonlight.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~* Epilogue  
  
Draco was indeed repaid for his dirty work. He and Pansy had been caught for trying to ruin another student's reputation, and it just so happened that the crime broke so many rules, the two were expelled. Draco could not get accepted into any other magic school in the world and was shunned from society and stripped of his magic. He now lives on the streets of New York City, working the midnight shift at a 7-11 store with no friends, no girlfriend, and no life.  
  
Ron and Padma also made a pact the night of the Pumpkin Bash. The two are happily married with five children (Edward, Meg, Joseph, Moira, and Lukas). They are expected their sixth child (Ella) this coming Halloween.  
  
Ginny became a critically acclaimed make-up artist and now lives in Los Angeles, California, working in Hollywood and dating an up and coming actor named Jonathan Jackson.  
  
Harry and Hermione kept their relationship 'for real,' and he proposed to her in front of the whole school on the day of their graduation. The fairytale life Hermione dreamed of came true. They live in the English countryside in a large roomy house with a white picket fence that Harry built from scratch. They spend their summer afternoons in the front yard, sipping lemonade, and watching their three girls (Lily, Evan, and Jamie) play. They are each exactly two years apart, all three of their birthdays on July 31st.  
  
Years later, Hermione looked back on that Halloween night she shared with Harry. She had felt so complete afterwards, as if a part of her had been missing all that time. She asked Harry about it once, and he admitted that he had felt the same way. It didn't take Hermione long after to realize that what they had been missing all their lives were simply each other.  
  
-:-Fin-:-  
  
*That's it. The end. Hope you enjoyed it. Ain't it great? LoL! I thought so. Songs that inspired this chapter: Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Forever, Moment Like This, Before Your Love, Faith Hill: Behind the Music (ok, it's not really a song but she's a musician). Movies that inspired this chapter: Tuck Everlasting, Harry Potter (DUH!). Other tidbits, the girls were each born on July 31st cuz it's exactly nine months after Halloween. Get it? LoL! Okay, you don't, that's okay, I'm pathetic that way. Their girls were named Lily cuz yea and Evan cuz supposively Evans was Lily's maiden name, and Jamie cuz she wasn't a boy. Besides all that, I really hoped you enjoyed this story. It's all over now. Review please! LoL! N E wayz. . . must go do homework. And, Oh, I know what I was gonna say. Call me Emmy. LoL! It's a long story but I feel that Marian is sortta long so if you feel like saying my name in your review, just call me Emmy. Ok, that's it. Not such a big deal. So now I'm gonna go. ~MtL (aka Emmy! Haha!) 


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